Why did Snape teach Occlumency?/Snapes Trustworthiness

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 103651

 
> Neri:
snip
. In the end of each book DD acquits Snape of the 
> blame, except than in CoS and PoA. 

Potioncat:
I see what you mean.  I hadn't thought of that.

Neri:
snip
But even after PoA most readers 
> (including myself) still believed that Snape is on the side of 
good, 
> so it doesn't look like JKR will ever manage to make him appear 
> really suspicious. We'll just think it is more red herrings.
> 
> The funny thing is that I don't think JKR had planned it that way. 
It 
> took her three books to realize that making Snape appear bad only 
> makes him more popular.
> 

Potioncat:
I probably snipped your points too close, but I see what you were 
saying earlier.  In PoA he seemed more like the bad guy, than in GoF 
where he was just the mean guy.  And as I was already making 
excuses... erm explanations.... for his behavior in PoA, I saw GoF 
as worse. (Still can't get a handle on "I see no difference.")

I agree, I don't think she expected anyone to see a glimmer of good 
in Snape.  It would be interesting to see what kids think of him or 
what more casual readers than this group think of him.  
Unfortunately, there are also those who think Draco and Lucius are 
OK, and that does scare JKR.

Potioncat (who will add that my 14 year old thinks Snape is very 
frightening, but she's a movie fan, not a book fan.)